Blog Archives
Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (May.08) – Updated MLB Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings
Darren Calabrese/AP
Edwin Encarnacion homered for the third straight game including 2 last night, giving him 200 for his career. His 3-4 performance with 3 RBI sparked the Blue Jays 12-6 drubbing of the Phillies.
Dallas Keuchel ended the Tigers winning streak by pitching into the 8th inning. He finished with 7 2/3 innings and 2 earned runs and no walks, giving Houston a rare win, 6-2.
Anthony Rizzo got on base 4 times, homered, doubled, drove in a pair and helped the Cubs top the White Sox, 12-5.
Ryan Volgelsong threw 7 1/3 innings, giving up just 5 hits and 1 earned run. He did not get the decision but he set up the Giants extra innings victory in Los Angeles, 3-1.
They owned baseball on May.08, 2014.
To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.
Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (May.07) – Updated MLB Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings
Tony Gutierrez, The Associated Press
Nolan Arenado extended his hitting streak to 27 games and helped the Rockies clobber the Rangers again, 9-2.
Tom Koehlert threw 8 shutout innings, letting up just 2 hits and 1 walk. He did not get the decision but the Marlins walked off 1-0 against the Mets.
Adam Jones homered twice as the Orioles stayed in first place with their 4-3 victory in Tampa Bay.
Mark Buehrle threw 7 shutout innings, letting up just 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 6 Phillies. He got his 6th win as the Blue Jays cruised to a 10-0 beating.
They owned baseball on May.07, 2014.
To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.
Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (May.06) – Updated MLB Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings
DOUG PENSINGER/GETTY IMAGES
Carlos Gonzalez went 5-5 with 3 RBI, leading the relentless Colorado attack against Texas, 12-1.
Henderson Alvarez threw his second complete game shutout of the season. His 6 hitter against the Mets gave the Marlins a 3-0 victory.
Grady Sizemore got 3 hits including a walk off single off of the Green Monster in the 12th, sealing the Red Sox 4-3 win over Cincinnati.
Hiroki Kuroda was solid pitching into the 8th inning, letting up 1 earned run, striking out 8 Angels and walking none. The bullpen blew his lead but the Yankees won 4-3.
They owned baseball on May.06, 2014.
To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.
Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (May.05) – Updated MLB Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings
Morry Gash – AP
Carlos Gomez launched a lead off homer, got on base 5 times, scored twice and drove in 3 as the Brewers won the 22nd game, 8-3 over Arizona.
Stefan Romero hit his first big league homer and scored another run for the Mariners, who topped the A’s, 4-2.
Nathan Eovaldi pitched 7 solid innings, striking out 10 and walking just 1. He left the game down 3-0 but the Marlins bats picked up up, walking off against the Mets, 4-3.
Jered Weaver kept the Yankees from a big rally with 8 terrific if not dominating innings. He let up 6 hits but walked just 1 and let up only 1 run over 8 innings, earning the 4-1 Angels victory.
They owned baseball on May.05, 2014.
To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.
Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (May.04) – Updated MLB Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings
Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/MCT
Brandon Crawford homered twice, driving in 3 runs, leading the Giants to a 4-1 win and a 3 game sweep of the Braves.
Dayan Viciedo‘s second hit of the day was a 3 run, come from behind go ahead 9th inning home run that gave the White Sox a 4-3 victory over the Indians.
Roberto Hernandez pitched into the 8th inning, finishing with 7 1/3 shutout innings, letting up just 4 hits and 3 walks, helping the Phillies sneak past the Nationals, 1-0.
Justin Verlander had a no hitter into the 6th inning. He finished with 7 strong, 4 hit innings, striking out 7 Royals. He got Detroit’s 9-4 victory.
They owned baseball on May.04, 2014.
To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.
Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (May.03) – Updated MLB Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings
(Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
Joe Mauer homered, scored from first on a hit, drove in another run and finished 3-4 with 4 RBI as the Twins won 6-1 over Baltimore.
Jon Lester dominated the A’s over 8 shutout innings. He let up just 1 hit, walking 2 and striking out a career high 15 as Boston won 6-3.
Dee Gordon went 5-6 in the leadoff spot. He also stole three bases, scored twice and drove in a pair as the Dodgers would top the Marlins in Miami, 9-7 in 11 innings.
Johnny Cueto topped the Brewers by throwing 8 innings of 3 hit ball. He let up a pair of solo homers and just a hit and a walk other than that. He struck out 10 in the process, earning the 6-2 victory in Cincinnati.
They owned baseball on May.03, 2014.
To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.
Minnesota Twins State Of The Union For 2014
The Minnesota franchise has been through predicament before. From 1987 – 1991, the club won World Series and was one of the best clubs in the timeframe, but this was followed by a losing stretch from 1993 – 2001. The Twins then reeled off 6 Division Titles, and built a new baseball park from that success. Now they have suffered 3 straight 90+ Loss seasons, and look to run into a 4th straight. The young pieces are there to turn this thing around in the next few years, however Miguel Sano went down to a season ending injury. while Alex Hicks and Oswaldo Arcia struggled in their Rookie Years. Byron Buxton, the top Baseball prospect is also going through a minor injury ailment to his left wrist. On a bright note, Kyle Gibson made the Starting Rotation.
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): Follow @stokes_hunter21
Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
Miguel Sano being hurt for the entire was a definite early downer to begin the spring. This team still has many young new core players, and have finally listed Kyle Gibson as a Starter in the Rotation in the #5 slot.
Oswaldo Arcia, Aaron Hicks and Byron Buxton may also provide a big splash to the franchise that is needed for many years moving forward.
You add in 3B Trevor Plouffe and SS/2B Brian Dozier possibly earning spots for the long-term, and the majority of their lineup with be made up from players from their early to mid – 20’s.
The year starts with Joe Mauer moving over to 1st, the departure of longtime veteran Justin Morneau, and 2 former players are trying to resurrect their careers with Minnesota.
Jason Kubel and Jason Bartlett are both back in the Twin Cities trying to make the squad. Read the rest of this entry
New York Yankees Payroll In 2014 Is Now $197 MIL (AAV) With Tanaka Added
2014 Contracts in MIL Annual Average Vakue – AKA AAV (Age) – Running $ Total
1. 1B Mark Teixeira – 23.0 (32) 23.0
2. SP CC Sabathia – 22.8 (32) 45.8
NEW: SP Masahiro Tanaka – 22.1 (25) 67.9
3. CF Jacoby Ellsbury – 21.9 (30) 89.6
4. C Brian McCann – 17.0 (29) 106.6
5. SP Hiroki Kuroda – 16.5 (37) 123.1
6. LF/DH Carlos Beltran – 15.0 (36) 138.6
7. SS Derek Jeter – 12.0 (40) 150.6 Read the rest of this entry
What The Yankees Signing Masahiro Tanaka Means For The Current Roster + The Luxury Tax Threshold
Once again, the Yankees have forked out the most money top acquire a Starting Pitcher. Masahiro Tanaka agreed to a 7 YR/$155 MIL deal with the Bronx Bombers. When you add the $20 MIL posting fee, it comes out to $175 MIL for just 7 Years. The Japanese superstar has a player opt out after 4 years (after the 2017 season). It is the biggest ever contract for an American League Pitcher – and the largest sum ever granted for a Right Handed Pitcher (Open Market – doesn’t count extenssions) in the history of Major League Baseball. The 25 Year Old also is now in possession of the 18th biggest contract in MLB history. With the signing of the player, the Yankees have pushed their 2014 Luxury Tax AAV to roughly $196 MIL.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Follow MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
The Yankees had to have Masahiro Tanaka for the team going forward. It is a risk so worth taking. There is not a litany of 25 Year Old Starting Pitchers that have the repertoire of this guy.
Due to poor drafting – and mismanagement of several other young phenoms like Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain, the club couldn’t produce a legitimate #2 or #3 starter out of their own system.
The team has also traded a guy like Ian Kennedy, who has thrived in another atmosphere. But this is the Yankees way.
This was their only alternative.
Masahiro Tanaka Highlights
New York Yankees Projected Payroll In 2014 With A-Rod Relief
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Follow MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
2014 Contracts in MIL Annual Average Vakue – AKA AAV (Age)
1. 1B Mark Teixeira – 23.0 (32)
2. SP CC Sabathia – 22.8 (32)
3. CF Jacoby Ellsbury – 21.9 (30)
4. C Brian McCann – 17.0 (29)
5. SP Hiroki Kuroda – 16.5 (37)
6. LF/DH Carlos Beltran – 15.0 (36)
7. SS Derek Jeter – 12.0 (40) Read the rest of this entry
The Yankees Might As Well Wait Another Year For The Luxury Tax Threshold ‘Reset’
With Derek Jeter and Hiroki Kuroda coming back for one more year, plus the uncertainty of the A-ROD suspension, why not push back the reset of the Luxury Tax Threshold, since you still have a chance to do this in 2015? By then, all of your older players will be another year older, and #13 will be back to wreak havoc on your financial flexibility for years?
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Follow MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
Our Lead Writer Paul Sullivan (feel free to call him Sully) is right about Brian Cashman….The guy should be fired for his ineptness of stockpiling the Minor League System since taking over the reigns in 2006.
If you are not subscribing to Sully’s podcast daily (about 20 minutes), please do so here. He talks complete sense for an objective perspective.
I will also denote that I am a Yankees fan. I was one of the 1st to destroy the clubs winter last year, when they never addressed their Catching situation, and said they should do some more moves to bolster the club.
Not that Cashman listened to me at all, but he grabbed 3 players I said he should (1 reluctant player he never wanted – (good one Cash) was Alfonso Soriano).
The other 2 players he picked up were Vernon Wells and Mark Reynolds.
Yankees win the 2009 World Series
New York Yankees Payroll In 2014 + Contracts Going Forward: Updated For The Beltran Deal
He will also make $30 MIL left in marketing bonuses should he hit escalating marketing bonuses from HRs 661 through 763. At this rate, maybe he will never collect on all of those. The base is ridiculous enough at $86 MIL over the next 4 years. The insurance paid on his ailing hip injury will not make a huge enough dent for Yankees Fans. He is the ALL-Time Active Leader for HRs , RBI and XBH At best he may turn back to a .250/.310/700 with around 50 RBI a year from 2015 – 2017. Hardly worthy of a $22.8 MIL average salary from 2014 – 2017.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Follow MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
With news breaking today that Robinson Cano has signed with Seattle, this has freed up the Yankees to pursue other players at the Winter Meetings – and for the rest of the offseason..
Based on the team payroll (with the A-Rod suspension being counted), the club is right around $174 MIL – $176 MIL right now for about 20 MLB Players signed – and another 5 guys that are on entry – level deals.
If A-Rod’s suspension sticks for the whole 2014 year, the club would then drop down to the $149 – $151 MIL range, which would free up the club to sign some more players.
Maybe the Yankees won’t have any choice but to hope for that very result. They still need 1 – 2 Starting Pitchers, and a relief pitcher would also be nice.
Read the end of this article – for potential candidates they could eyeball.
CC Sabathia Highlights
MLB 50 Free Agent Predictions
It will all be following the money for many of the Free Agents this winter. It all started when all 14 players that had Qualifying Offers politely declined them all over the weekend, and are all FA’s with Draft Compensation due back to their 2013 club.
Free Agent Predictions
By Jordan Gluck (Free Agency Correspondent) Follow @JGluck777
Follow MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
These are my personal predictions on where the top free agents will sign. This is the same kind of list of the top 50 free agents made by our friends at mlbtraderumors.com.
Please keep in mind there will be trades this offseason so holes will be filled that way as well (I believe the Cardinals will trade for a SS).
I am not going to estimate any dollar figures in this specific article but I do expect some overpayments this year.
Robinson Cano 2013 Highlights
The Mets Should Be Careful Which Free Agents They Sign For 2014
Johan Santana is just another cautionary tale of why it is hard for teams to invest money long – term on Starting Pitching, There are just far too many ways for hurlers to be injured in comparison to Roster Players. The Mets will just have to bide time until 2014 when the team can finally take the former Cy Young winner of the teams payroll book. Santana signed a 6 YR/$137.5 MIL deal with the Mets after coming over from Minnesota. While he was good in his 1st year (leading the NL with a 2.53 ERA), he just started 109 Games for his New York Career.
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): Follow @stokes_hunter21
Follow The MLB Reports On Twiter Follow @mlbreports
Lets face it, the Mets have had a poor track record of signing Free Agents lately.
Quickly to go over the list: Jason Bay, Luis Castillo, (4 YRs/$24.75 MIL and they released him following a 2010 year – where he ballooned in weight – and hit just .235), their own Free Agent in Oliver Perez, (3 YRs/ $36 MIL for 3 wins and a ERA near 7 in that time), and Johan Santana.
Lest we forget the horrible trades that ended the careers of Roberto Alomar (Made $13 MIL in a season and a half – before New York jettisoned him to the White Sox for hitting .265 in 2002 – 2003 combined where he was a .300 Career Hitter).
Mo Vaughn. could barely move by the time he made it to New York city. The Mets paid him almost $48 MIL to have only 567 AB.
Vaughn only played in 166 games for New York, and was out of league after 2003. At least Kevin Appier (the traded player for him) was done playing by 2004 as well, but at $20 MIL less cost.
While I agree that the New York (NL) franchise should spend some money they have finally been hoarding up, the brass have to be careful who they select to throw that dough on.
Jason Bay Hurt for the Mets in July 2010
The Washington Nationals State Of The Union Part 1: Fall 2013 Through Spring 2014
The Nationals failed to meet expectations as the Preseason favorites to lock down the World Series in 2013. Heck, they didn’t even qualify for the playoffs. Whether it was injury, or complacency, the talent of this team didn’t maximize their potential this year. However, the club did go 24 – 12 in their last 36 Games Played, and made a late charge at the 2nd Wild Card Spot in the Nationals League. Most of the nucleus is coming back for the 2014 year. Here are some priorities for the winter.
By David Huzzard (Nationals Correspondent via Citizens of Natstown.com – view website here): Follow @davidhuzzard
Follow MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
1. Find a Manager
There are moves that can be made without a new manager in place, but this is the most important thing the Nationals have to do this off-season. Not having the leader of the team will make all the other moves more difficult.
Players want to know who they are playing for and the manager is going to have a lot of input into what free agents the Nationals go after for the bench and bullpen, which happen to be their two biggest needs personnel-wise.
It is also important to get the new manager in place early so that he has an entire off-season to communicate with the players already in the majors and to familiarize himself with the system and the minor leaguers that could help during the season.
For all of the Rosters, Depth Charts, State of the Unions and Salaries that we do, please visit our dedicated page link here.
Jordan Zimmermann Interview
Odds To Win The 2013 MLB World Series + ALDS/NLDS Series + The ALCS/NLCS + Odds for 4 Games Fri Oct 4th/2013
Bartolo Colon is anchoring the rotation for the Athletics this season. He is not the strikeout pitcher he was in the past, but is still effective against the opposition. Colon has displayed great control this season. He starts tonight as the Game #1 Starter versus Max Scherzer. The Athletics and Rays are still the highest odds on the board at +800. I have already wagered on the Rays to win earlier in the season, and now have put $25 on the Athletics to take home the ultimate prize.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Follow MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
Odds To Win the World Series:
LA Dodgers +300
Boston Red Sox +375
St. Louis Cardinals +450
Detroit Tigers +475
Oakland Athletics +800
Tampa Bay Rays +800
Atlanta Braves +1300
Pittsburgh Pirates +1700
ODDS Courtesy of http://www.bet365.com
Ryu and Nolasco on facing the Braves in the NLDS
New York Yankees Payroll In 2014 + Contracts Going Forward + The Cano And A – ROD Factors
The Yankees should not pay Robinson Cano more than $25 – $28 MIL per season for a max of 7 years. The club is fortunate to have the relief of A – Rod’s pending suspension – otherwise the percentage of inking the Free Agent 2B would not even be possible. Cano’s agent -Jay – Z, has thrown out the first Salvo, saying the Slugger wants a 10 YR/$300 – 305 MIL Deal. The Bronx Bombers would be crazy to offer any more than what I stated up in the 1st sentence of this Caption. New York is looking to reset its Luxury Tax Penalty (when the Threshold is moved to $189 in 2014), in order to spend again commencing in 2015.
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Follow MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
They are old and 2014 will not make them younger. However, there are some small tweaks that the team could do in order to make the payroll make sense.
The 2014 version of the Yankees may struggle. Exiting are Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, Hiroki Kuroda, Boone Logan, Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes, Curtis Granderson, Brendan Ryan and potentially Derek Jeter (although he has a Player Option for 2014) and Mark Reynolds.
To the Readers on our Payroll Breakdowns: Keep in mind these are all just estimates as we are all not forensic payroll accountants. For a better look at how Payrolls work in the MLB please check out this article here.
Derek Jeter Highlights:
2 And A Hook Podcast #14: The Races, The Red Sox + The Crowd Hitter Concept
The 2 And A Hook Podcast will be running 7 consecutive shows on Thursdays Sept. 19 + 26, and Oct 3,10,17,24,31) – Join us for our extensive playoff coverage from Chuck Booth, Chris Lacey, James Acevedo and many other guests!
‘2 And A Hook’ is an expression from Baseball: ‘Throw the guy 2 Fast balls and then a Hook’ (AKA Curve Ball, Wiggly one, Chair etc..)
By James Acevedo – Host (Podcast Veteran ) Follow @yankeeman1973
Guests On The Show:
On today’s show, brought to you by www.mlbreports.com
& yours truly The Bench Warmers Show.
i start it off by wishing the head of MLB Reports Chuck Booth Follow @chuckbooth3024 a Happy Birthday today then i talked about the A.L. East race & who will prevail at the end…
I also get to talk to the return of the Vice Prez of MLB Reports.com Chris Lacey (30 MIN mark and a 25 MIN Segment)Follow @tbwarmers
We talked about all the division & wild card races in both leagues, Matt Harvey’s season ending injury which is a big blow to the mets & the mets trading Byrd & Buck to help the pirates…
CLICK THE READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON or CLICK PAST THE MLB REPORTS LOGO
Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (August.28th) – Updated Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings
Photo: Paul Sancya – AP
Brandon Moss reached base 5 times, homered twice, scored three times and drove in 6 as the A’s demolished the Tigers in Detroit, 14-4.
Chris Sale struck out 12 Astros, walking only 2 while throwing 8 innings of 4 hit, 1 run ball. He got the decision in the White Sox 6-1 victory.
Jay Bruce led the Reds with a homer and 5 runs batted in as Cincinnati blew out the Cardinals in St. Louis, 10-0.
Ricky Nolasco pitched 8 three hit shutout innings, striking out 11 and walking one as the Dodgers beat the Cubs, 4-0.
They all owned baseball on August 28, 2013.
My explanation for “Who Owns Baseball” can be found here.
At the end of the year, we will tally up who owned baseball the most individual days and see how it compares to the final MVP and Cy Young vote.
To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON
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To View The List of just the nightly winners (WOB dedicated Page) starting from Mar.31/2013 – today click here
The Red Sox Left Town With A Series Win, But Left The Dodgers With So Much More In 2012
A year after the big blockbuster Red Sox/Dodgers trade, both clubs have benefited from the salvation is created. The Red Sox were able to hit a reset button on their finances – and spend money on key Free Agents: Mike Napoli, Shane Victorino, take on Jake Peavy’s Salary, pick up Jonny Gomes and have a slightly lower payroll overall still. For the LA Dodgers, they received a bonafide Leadoff hitter in Carl Crawford, plus a lethal Left Handed Bat in 1B Adrian Gonzalez. The LA club was also willing to eat the $$ owed on bust Josh Beckett. Los Angeles could bury lots of money for little given away talent wise. Little did all of us know, that they had an electric ballplayer like Yasiel Puig ready to bust out. Boston is leading the AL East, and the Dodgers are killing it in the NL West. Perhaps this might be an October showdown?
BY Enrique Rivera (MLB Reports Dodgers Correspondent) Follow @mlbreports
It has been a year since that big blockbuster Red Sox/Dodgers trade that sent a loaded bank of salary to the Dodgers along with superstar players like Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Josh Beckett and Nick Punto.
After a first half of struggles and criticism and watching the Red Sox play better baseball, the Dodgers have proven that the trade benefited them as well.
The Dodgers lead the NL West 9.5 games after being down by 9.5 earlier in the season. Meanwhile in the AL East, the Red Sox lead the division by 1 game.
Adrian Gonzalez’s first AB as a Dodger last year resulting in a HR
MLB 30 Team Power Rankings: Week 21
42 – 8, 25 – 3, 19 – 1, 10 wins in a row. These are all significant numbers put up with a team with deep pockets, the ability to outdraw everyone for park attendance, and owners willing to do whatever it takes to bring home the 1st World Series Title since 1988. No one can touch these guys right now. Best 3 Starters in the NL and hottest 2 NL Hitters in Puig and Ramirez. Oh yeah, the Bullpen has been lights out for the last 50 contests!
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @mlbreports
It is time for the MLB Power Rankings. These are based on my thoughts on whether who has the best chance to win the World Series.
A lot of these positions are based on who has the toughest Strength of Schedule left, who their competition is for the Division, and possibly even the League they are in,
The races for the Divisions (AL East, AL West and NL Central are starting to tighten up, while the NL West, AL Central and most notably NL East are looking to be foregone conclusions
The Braves have rattled of a 18 – 3 stretch, and have been ousted by the Dodgers for the #1 spot in the MLB Rankings .
The Rangers are trying to ricochet off of a couple of great deals, in order to flame down the Oakland Athletics.
Dodgers Have Been Pulverizing The Competition For Weeks – While The Rest Of The NL West Have Been Brutal
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Follow @mlbreportsThursday Aug.08/2013
Despite early season rumors of Mattingly getting fired, Donnie has managed his team back into the division race after a private meeting with Dodger executives. The Dodgers are now 63 – 50 after setting a franchise record 15 game road winning streak earlier this week and are opening up a commanding lead versus their NL West brethren. Now with Yasiel Puig and Hanley Ramirez igniting the clubs offense, plus Zack Greinke coming back to the Starting Rotation, the team has begun to gel. But it is also the secondary players that have provided some clutch play of late. The team has won 33 of their last 41 Games. Now that is outstanding!
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
I was wrong to throw the towel in on the Dodgers at the beginning of June in an article.
While I initially had LA as my NL representative in the WS before the year started, I thought they were cooked.
Yasiel Puig was infused into the lineup, and the team has fed off of his electricity.
Zack Greinke and Hanley Ramirez then came back to facilitate the start of this hotstreak.
I am not sure I have ever seen an entire Division struggle so badly – with the exception of 1 team doing the polar opposite simultaneously, like has happened in the NL West over the last 8 weeks.
The Dodgers have been on a historical run in their ascent from last place (trailing by as much as 9.5 games on June 1st) – all the way to top of the Division (by 5 games as of right now.)
There have been countless reasons how the turnaround has transpired.
Don Mattingly has gone from the hotseat – to now being in the position where he could net himself a contract extension when the season is over.
The rest of the NL West Clubs have been incredibly anemic – and we will focus on the records since that date in this piece.
Dbacks’ Make Move At Trade Deadline To Improve Their Bullpen
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Follow @mlbreportsThursday, August.1, 2013
Joe Thatcher was dealt to the Arizona Diamondbacks on the last day of the Trade Deadline. This acquisition makes their bullpen stronger with having a pitcher that can get lefties out on a consistent basis. He has 2.10 ERA in 30 innings pitched this season, while only giving three HRs, and walking four batters. He has a WHIP of 1.06 and has struck out 29 batters. He is holding the opposing batters to a .243 average this season, while holding left-handed batters to a .215 average. Thatcher is very good with runners in scoring position as well, by holding teams to a batting average of .121 in this situation. He does not throw hard with a fastball that sits in the mid 80s and a sweeping slider. He has held lefty batters to a 209./.269/.586 triple-slash in 344 career at-bats.
By Chris Lacey (Lead Baseball Columnist/Minority Website Owner) Follow @aecanada12
The Arizona Diamondbacks were the kings of the National League West division for most of this season, and that’s not saying much. That division is not what you would call competitive, with only two teams that have a record over. 500.
Arizona was able to maintain their lead in large part because the Los Angeles Dodgers were dealing with numerous injuries.Then once the Dodgers had key players healthy, Los Angeles started to play better.
Paul Goldschmidt 2013 Highlights – Parental Guidance Is Advised
Colorado Rockies’ Losing Even With 3 ALL – Stars
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Follow @mlbreportsSunday July.14/2013
The Rockies jumped out to a 12 -4 record to start the season – and have played to a clip of 33 – 46 since. Coming off a 90 Loss campaign in 2012, this may be more of a true sign of this teams talent. 2013 may not be the year to try and challenge for the NL West crown. Perhaps it is time that the management looks to deal some veterans that are not part of the club’s long – term plan?
By Lou Hebert (MLB Reports Colorado Rockies Correspondent): Follow @hebertreport
The Colorado Rockies have low odds of winning the National League West division title despite having three players on the 2013 MLB All-Star roster.
Troy Tulowitzki, Carlos Gonzalez and Michael Cuddyer are not enough to help Colorado regain their momentum against the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers this season, which may encourage the Rockies to sell before the MLB trade deadline.
One month ago, the Rockies were favored to contend for the NL West division pennant this season. Then Troy Tulowitzki broke a rib on June 13 while making a diving catch, which marked the beginning of a decline in Rockies success this season.
Dexter Fowler’s 2 HR
Dodgers Climb Into Second Place Behind Quiet Heroes
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Follow @mlbreportsTuesday, July.09/2013
Ramirez had 5 hits including two triples during the weekend series against the San Francisco Giants as the Dodgers took two out of three games against the defending champions.Probably another impressive thing about Hanley’s recent success is the fact that he has SO’d only three times during the last 10 games. He hasn’t SO’d more than once in any of those 10 games.Hanley Ramirez has taking the role as the cleanup hitter pretty well as he has an 18-game hitting streak and is hitting .488 (20 Hits and 12 Runs Scored) – with 2 HRs and 7 RBIS in his last 10 games.
By Enrique Rivera (Dodgers Correspondent) Follow @eriqwiththeq
Much has been said about Dodgers’ rookie Yasiel Puig and rightfully so. He has had one of the most memorable first months in MLB history. He has played in 32 games and is hitting .409 with 8 HRs and 19 RBIs.
You can easily connect Puig’s success with the Dodgers’ success as they’ve quietly got back in the division and are in fact now 2nd place in the NL West.
But another guy who has had the same if not better success than Puig during their first 32 games of the season is Dodgers’ shortstop Hanley Ramirez.
Hanley Ramirez smashes a homerun to the third deck at Petco Park:
Miami Marlins Trade Ricky Nolasco to the Dodgers
If you want to listen to the audio podcast we did for our Monthly 30 Team Rankings, we have the links below to download or just listen
Triple Play Podcast Ep #15 Monthly Rankings For All 30 Teams
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Monday, July 8th, 2013
Ricky Nolasco had been in the Miami organization since the Marlins traded Juan Pierre to the Cubs for him and others in 2005.
On Saturday afternoon, the Marlins made a move they have actively been trying to make for quite some time. Miami finally was able to trade 30-year-old starting pitcher Ricky Nolasco.
The Los Angeles Dodgers, sitting at third place in the N.L. West at 41-45, surrendered three pitching prospects to acquire him; two relievers and one highly touted starter in High Class A.
The move makes sense for the Dodgers because they need an innings-eater like Nolasco and he has always been very successful in the N.L. West.
The Marlins dump part of a huge contract and acquire a few interesting prospects. Considering that a move like this was inevitable for the Marlins, they didn’t do all that bad.
How the Giants Can Improve Their Roster + Deal With Injuries To Vogelsong + Pagan
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Wednesday, July.03/2013
Johnny Monell has been a great contributor to the Fresno Grizzlies this season, and deserves consideration for a roster spot.
The Giants did not have a great month of June, but I don’t have to tell you that. In fact, it was the worst winning percentage for the team in a month since July 2008, according to Andrew Baggarly.
This does not put the Giants out of contention, though, and the team still plans on competing this season.
With that in mind, the club does not have very much depth in their farm system, and likely do not want to give up the little potential that they have their, so the best way to boost the lineup would be through callups.
2 And A Hook Podcast Ep #9: LAA, SD, MIA And SEA Chat With Great Guests
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Follow @mlbreportsFriday, June.28, 2013,
MLB reports and The Benchwarmers Show present 2 and A Hook Podcast.
‘2 And A Hook’ is an expression from Baseball: ‘Throw the guy 2 Fast balls and then a Hook’ (AKA Curve Ball, Wiggly one, Chair etc..)
By James Acevedo – Host (Podcast Veteran ) Follow @yankeeman1973
Guests On The Show
On today’s podcast, brought to you by MLB Reports ( www.mlbreports.com ) & yours truly The Bench Warmers Show, I talk to the boss man Chuck Booth as he returns to do his segment! 8 Minutes and a 18 Segment Follow @chuckbooth3024
Chuck makes a HUGE announcement about MLB Reports & then we talked about contract stuff like arbitration, Super 2, & service time…
Also we talk about these guys Wil Myers, Yasiel Puig & Chris Archer on why they should have been up in the major leagues since the beginning of the season!
Then I talk to LAA correspondent Joshua Jones (34 Minute Mark and a 18 Minute Segment) Follow @JoshJones4 about the Angels season & what might or might not happen…
Next up was Bernie Olshansky (53 Minute Mark and a 13 Minutes Segment) Follow @bernieolshansky about the padres & what moves they might make for the future…after that i talked to Mariners/Marlins correspondent.
The last guest of the show is the 2nd longest active writer on the MLB Reports website Sam Evans (1 HR and 12 Min Mark and a 25 Min Segment) ( @RJA206 ) as we get into the mariners/marlins & whats been going on with both of these teams!
I then get into everyone’s favorite segment Stats & Facts (29, Minute Mark (5 minutes) 1 HR, 7 Min Mark ( 5 Minutes ) and, 1 HR 37 MIN (20 Minutes) – so go check it out & SPREAD THE WORD!!! Thanks Read the rest of this entry
MLB Team Power Rankings: Week 12
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Follow @mlbreportsMonday June.17/2013
Adam Dunn has finally put together an awesome week this year. He hit for a 3 Slash Line of .389/.455/1.510 – with 4 HRs and 8 RBI. His efforts didn’t stop the team from losing 4 straight, however he is the MLB Reports AL Hitter of The Week!
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Another Week has come and gone in the MLB.
(MLB Reports) AL Hitter Of The Week – Adam Dunn (See Picture Above).
Runners up were: Teammates Evan Longoria, (.305, 4 HRs and 6 RBI) and Matt Joyce (385, 4 HRs and 5 RBI), plus Adam Lind (.407, 2 HRs and 6 RBI.)
(MLB Reports) AL Pitcher Of The Week – Corey Kluber
Kluber threw in 16 IP, featured a 2 – 0 Record on back to back 8 IP starts – including a 0.56 ERA.
Runners Up were: Bartolo Colon (2 – 0, 1.38 ERA,) Jim Johnson (4 Saves in 4 Opportunities) and Miguel Gonzalez (2 – 0, 2.54 ERA).
Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (June 16th) – Updated Yearly “WOB” Standings
Photo: Robert Sabo, New York Daily News
Kirk Nieuwenhuis launched a 3 run, bottom of the ninth, come from behind walk off home run to cap off a 4 run rally as the Mets stunned the Cubs, 4-3.
Ricky Nolasco pitched 7 innings letting up 3 hits and 1 run as the Marlins beat the Cardinals 7-3 and the worst team in baseball won a series against the best team in the game.
Josh Reddick was a double short of the cycle as he went 4-5 with a homer and a triple, driving in two, leading the A’s to a 10-2 blow out of the Mariners.
And Corey Kluber pitched 8 innings of shutout ball, striking out 8 and walking none, getting the 2-0 win for the Indians over the Nationals.
They all owned baseball on June 16th, 2013.
My explanation for “Who Owns Baseball” can be found here.
At the end of the year, we will tally up who owned baseball the most individual days and see how it compares to the final MVP and Cy Young vote.
To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON.
To View The List of just the nightly winners (WOB dedicated Page) starting from Mar.31/2013 – today click here Read the rest of this entry
MLB Reports 
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